Beautiful Disaster
by MissMdsty
Summary: He was perfect. The perfect disaster. She was perfect. His perfect salvation. Nobody doubted she could save him. But would she? [updated October 22 2004]
1. Prologue

> > Beautiful Disaster
>> 
>> By Strawberry Gashes
>> 
>> "Life begins on the other side of despair. "  
**Jean-Paul Sartre**
>> 
>> * * *
>> 
>> _Prologue_
>> 
>> Her eyes stung from the candle light and the long hours of writing essays in the badly lit library. She rubbed them and sighed, looking up for the first time in hours. The clock above the librarian's desk showed that it was well past curfew and she should get to bed or else she wouldn't be able to concentrate on classes the next day. Gathering her books and essays she noticed that the librarian had fallen asleep on her desk. Deciding not to wake her she slowly made her way towards Gryffindor Tower.
>> 
>> Seventh year was always a difficult year for students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, even more so than the fifth. It was only September, their N.E.W.T.s were months away, but nobody was doing as much work as Lily Evans, the Head Girl. She could always be seen working in the common rooms, or, if circumstances [a.k.a the Marauders] wouldn't allow it, in the library. The Marauders were also 7th years but Lily suspected that apart from Remus Lupin, they were still unaware of the approaching exams.
>> 
>> A sound distracted her from her thoughts and through the shadows she saw a boy with glasses and messy jet black hair appearing out of nowhere. Jumping slightly she gave him a death glare.
>> 
>> "Potter! What are you doing here past curfew?"
>> 
>> "I could ask you the same thing Lily dear!"
>> 
>> "I was working in the library. Which I know you haven't! Honestly Potter, when will you start to take some responsibility? You're Head Boy after all!"
>> 
>> She scowled; the memory of his appointing as Head Boy obviously still bothered her. She didn't wait for the boy's reply, but stormed off. After a few corridors she spoke again.
>> 
>> "Why are you following me?"
>> 
>> "Last I checked Evans, there was only one way to the common room."
>> 
>> She rolled her eyes but said nothing. They reached the portrait of a very fat lady wearing a pink silk dress and gave her the password ["Tailfeather"]; ignoring the suspicious looks she was giving them. Once inside Lily headed towards the girl's dormitories without another glance at James.
>> 
>> Lily Evans and James Potter had despised each other ever since the first day of their first year at Hogwarts. Though at first the feeling was mutual, somewhere during the 7 years that had passed, James decided that Lily was perfect for him. That left him with only the little problem of convincing her of that fact. And seeing as Severus Snape and Lily Evans agreed on only one thing, that James Potter was an insufferable big-headed prat, the couple's chances were slim to nothing.
>> 
>> It would be one Hell of a year, Lily mussed as she got into bed, her friends already asleep. Besides the task of seeing to her studies, she was also Head Girl, which meant planning the Prefect duties and meetings, which added to the stress of the growing threat of Lord Voldemort. Indeed, more and more attacks had been reported and Lily was shocked to find how many familiar faces had not come back at the start of term.
>> 
>> These thoughts in her head, Lily drifted off into an uneasy sleep, filled with dreams of exams and James Potter. When she woke up she remembered nothing.
>
>> * * *
>> 
>> Author Note:
>> 
>> I'm baaaaack! waits for cheers to stop Yes indeed. This is my Lily and James 'howtheygottogetherandhadHarry' story. What can I say? It gets to you after PoA. [That movie rules!]
>> 
>> Feedback, as always, is welcomed. I'll give you a cookie if you review! puppy dog eyes
>> 
>> 3 Ral
>> 
>> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned. They belong to JK Rowling. All I own is the bag of cookies.


	2. Chapter I

**_Chapter I_**

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_"First loveis only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity." _

**George Bernard Shaw**

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"I'm telling you Prongs! The only way you'll ever get Lily Evans to date you is to exterminate every other living, breathing, penis-bearing being on this earth!"

"You're exaggerating Padfoot!"

"No, actually, I think Padfoot here has a pretty good point!"

"Shut up Wormtail! Nobody asked you!"

"As much as I hate to do this, I must agree with Padfoot, Prongs! Lily Evans despises you!"

"Thank you Moony! Now, as I said Prongsie, I think it's time you go looking for the next great adventure and leave Lily alone!"

"Don't call me Prongsie!" he muttered, going red. "I don't want any other great adventure! I want Lily!"

Lily and her friends surveyed the group from behind their books. The Marauders all in one place with books in front of them was never a good sign.

"Sirius looks so cute when he does that!" a girl giggled very close to Lily and she suppressed the urge to gag.

"I honestly can't tell what people see in that group! If I didn't have to work with Potter, I'd never even look at him! Let alone spend my days sighing after him!"

"We all know he's crazy for you Lily!"

"And I care because?"

"I dunno, maybe because you might like him back!"

Lily looked at the girl as if she had sprouted antlers.

"Like him? Him? That'll be the day hell freezes over!"

To Lily's right her two other dorm mates whispered to each other.

"If she didn't really like him, why would she be so defensive?'

"I dunno, but I guess that's not for us to question!"

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. Her dorm mates were delightful people but sometimes she could kill them. Andromeda Black, Hestia Jones and Celestina Warbeck were her friends, but sometimes could be really blind about people, like James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

"Don't think that just because I was looking the other way, I didn't hear you too!"

"Oh Lily… lighten up!"

Lily just scowled. She just didn't like James Potter and that was that. Who could ever like somebody who turned their hair green on the first day of first year, or who put slugs in her bed, despite the fact that he couldn't get up the girls' stair case.

Lily sighed and put her book down.

"I have a Prefect meeting." She announced. "I'll see you guys later."

She exited the common room as her group scattered.

"Jamsie, your little flower friend is leaving."

"Don't call me Jamsie, Sirius!"

"James, didn't you have a Prefect meeting to attend to, tonight?"

"Oh fuck!" he swore loudly, getting to his feet and rushing out of the common room.

On the other side of Hogwarts, Lily had already started the meeting.

"Seeing as our Head Boy couldn't be bothered to show up, I'll have to do this all alone." She announced. "Now, our first order of business for today is Miss Bones, the Hufflepuff 7th year Prefect's request to …"

At that point James entered the room at a run.

"I'm …sorry…. I'm…. late... I... had... stuff…to…do."

"Like what Potter? Blowing up toilets?"

"For your information, Evans, I've never blown up a toilet. Not such a bad idea though …"

"Sit down before I curse your ass into next week!"

The girl's eyes were blazing, so he decided it would be very wise to shut up and sit down.

The rest of the meeting went on in the same tense atmosphere. Finally... as all the prefects sighed in relief as Lily signaled the meeting as over, the door opened and the Headmaster came in. All the students stood up respectfully and he motioned them all out.

"Lily, James…. I must speak with you both."

The two nodded as Dumbledore started speaking.

"I know you two don't have the best feelings towards each other, but for the good of the school I must ask you to try and work with each other… you know the difficult period which we are passing with Voldemort gaining power and if we are not united from within we shall be very easy to divide."

The two said nothing as the words sunk in. Then suddenly Dumbledore straightened himself as if he had been struck by lightning and put a hand to his heart.

James rushed forward towards him.

"Headmaster are you alright?"

The man lifted his face and the sight of him made Lily gasp and take an involuntary step back. The Headmaster's face was very pale and his eyes red and snake like. He blinked and they returned to their natural warm blue.

"I'm sorry children… It's probably just because I'm tired. Go back to your Common Room now."

Lily and James stood up and started walking back to the Gryffindor Tower.

Neither spoke until they had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, when Lily broke the silence.

"What was that all about?"

James frowned.

"I have no idea Lily... I really don't…"

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**Author Notes:**

I know I know! Finally an update! :) Sorry but I have been busy lately and I just had the time to type this down.

Updates will come soon, based on the number of reviews.

As for the reviews, I'm giving away cookies to all you wonderful people who reviewed with positive comments.

3 Ral

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to JK Rowling. By the way... I heard she's pregnant again… is that true? **


	3. Chapter II

**Chapter 2**

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_"Words are loaded pistols."_

__Jean-Paul Sartre

* * *

"Divination is a load of bullshit!" James sighed as he tried to focus on his birth sign chart.

Lily rolled her eyes and continued taking notes, ignoring the boy. Ever since the incident with Dumbledore, they never spoke to each other and had stopped arguing, which came both as a shock and as a relief to the Gryffindor common room.

The bell rang and the 7th year class made their way towards the exit of the Tower and to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Lily, Lily …" Andromeda was running after her, with her bag in her hand.

"Oh, hey Andie…" she said softly, not really focusing.

After the last Prefect meeting, she couldn't really look at Dumbledore anymore, without wondering what exactly had happened, nor could she be around James Potter anymore … Of course that was a mutual feeling most of the times, but now it was odd. Was he as scared and concerned as she was? And he had called her Lily… He never called her Lily.

"You know Miss Evans, conversation implies you replying every few words."

"I'm sorry… I just had a very bad night's sleep."

Andromeda eyed her strangely, but said nothing. Celestina and Hestia joined them soon after and there was no more talk of Lily's strange behavior.

As the girls had begun to eat their lunch, the Marauders sat down in front of them and started trying to make idle conversation with the four.

Just as James was trying to point out how lovely the enchanted ceiling of the Hall looked, Lily lost her temper.

"Potter you dimwit, it's bewitched. Is this your idea of polite conversation? Cause you really have to work on it."

"Well sorry Evans, I was trying to be nice." They both glared at each other. "Look who's PMSing." He added under his breath.

Apparently Lily had heard him, since that earned him a hand full of mashed potatoes in the face.

The Gryffindor table waited patiently to see the outcome of the conflict. It would undoubtedly be 50 points from Gryffindor and detention for both Lily and James.

In a state of light shock and with gravy pouring on his glasses, James made the pitch full of pumpkin juice levitate and poured it on top of Lily's head.

By now she was livid with anger.

"Argh, Potter! How dare you?" she took a fork and lunged for his throat when somebody cleared their throat behind them.

Lily turned towards the stern Head of Gryffindor House. Apparently, all her anger had vanished and was now replaced with… Well, let's just say Lily Evans, Head Girl was scared shitless.

"Why Professor, fancy seeing you here." James smiled pleasantly as Lily rolled her eyes. _Leave it to Potter to make a disastrous situation worse. _

"Sorry to interrupt this very interesting act of ... bonding between you two. I expect you both to be clean and in my office in 5 minutes." With that said Minerva McGonagall turned her heel and left the Great Hall.

Lily turned and glared at James. "Good job Potter. We're in trouble now!"

"Am I mistaking, or weren't you the one who was trying to rip my throat out with a fork?"

"I wouldn't have tried that if I wasn't soaking in pumpkin juice Potter!"

"You wouldn't be soaking in pumpkin juice Evans, if you hadn't thrown mashed potatoes at my face. "

"I wouldn't have thrown mashed potatoes at your face if you weren't so damn annoying and big headed!"

"Well I wouldn't …"

"Shut just up Potter. Move, I don't have time to argue." She performed a cleaning spell on herself and started walking out of the Hall.

"Evans, you know I can't do that spell!" James whined after her.

"Oh yes Potter, how could I forget… you're stupid on top of everything else."

"Well aren't you my number one fan!" he rolled his eyes.

She performed the cleaning spell on him as well and they both marched out of the Hall, arguing still.

The people in the Hall were dead silent for a moment, and then Sirius spoke up.

"Look on the bright side; James finally managed to do the levitation charm."

The Hall erupted into fits of laughter as Remus and Andromeda hit him over the head.

* * *

Five minutes later the two knocked on McGonagall's door.

"Come in." Obviously, her spirits hadn't improved.

"You wanted to see us Professor?" James said innocently. Lily kicked him. "Ouch, what was that for?"

"For being an imbecile." She replied sharply.

"Well aren't you a little ray of sunshine."

The Professor stood up. "That is quite enough you two! Sit down."

They both took a seat in front of her desk, making sure they were as far apart from each other as possible. McGonagall glared at them both from under her glasses.

"I trust you both read the Head rule book." They nodded. "Good, now may I ask where is it stated in there that it is ok for the Heads to throw food at each other? Or to attack each other with table wear?"

They both stood silent. Lily was beginning to feel very ashamed. She had blown it. She could have her badge taken away for that.

"That's right." The Professor continued. "It does not. Now Lily, James, you two are very bright students. The brightest, I might add, due to the fact that you were chosen Heads. You must set an example for other students." She said in a softer tone. "I understand you two do not have a soft spot for each other. Or as I understand, Mr. Potter does have one for you Miss Evans, and you lack it." James opened his mouth to reply, but decided against it. "I want you two to get along. I trust the Headmaster has already spoken to you about that." The nodded once more. "However," and now the Professor's tone has become stone hard again, "as your Head of House, I cannot let this behavior go unpunished. So 50 points each will be taken from Gryffindor and you must serve detention with the new ground keeper twice this week. During Quidditch Practice." James looked horror stricken. "Yes Mr. Potter, do you have any objections?"

James would have had a million objections, but one glare from Lily made him decide to swallow them all.

"I thought not. Very well now, I shall inform the Headmaster of our talk. You may leave."

As James got up, Lily decided to voice her concern. "Professor, about the Headmaster…"

James turned and gave her a sharp look.

"Yes Miss Evans?"

"Nothing …"

The two got up and left the office. No words were spoken as they reached the floor with their Common Room.

"So Lily…" James casually put an arm on her shoulder and gave her a flirtatious smile. "In light of what our dear Head of House told us …"

Lily slapped his arm off.

"No Potter, I still will not go out with you." She glared at him and quickened her pace.

"And they say I'm shallow…" he mumbled under his breath, as he watched Lily turn a corner and disappear.

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**Author Notes:**

Yes I realize I haven't updated in … yes forever, but high school started and I was so very busy I couldn't fit it around my schedule to write. And yes, I was lazy as well. But from now on updates will come regularly.

Truth is, I wanted to delete this last night, but then I re-read all the reviews I got and decided I need to update it.

Well, that is about all I can say for now. This chapter was a bit longer than the rest and they will get longer as I start to develop the plot.

Ral

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Not Lily, James or their friends. I don't even own the mashed potatoes or pumpkin juice used in the creation of this chapter. ****They all belong to JK Rowling.**


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